It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant. Examples of inflatable vehicle occupant protection devices include driver and passenger frontal air bags, side impact air bags, inflatable curtains, inflatable seat belts, and inflatable knee bolsters.
An inflatable curtain is inflatable in response to the occurrence of an event for which inflation of the inflatable curtain is desired, such as a side impact to the vehicle, a vehicle rollover, or both. The inflatable curtain has a deflated and stowed condition in which the curtain is positioned in or adjacent a roof rail that extends along an outboard edge of a vehicle roof. The inflatable curtain is inflatable away from the vehicle roof between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. In the inflated and deployed condition, the inflatable curtain may partially, substantially, or completely cover a side window opening. In one known construction, an inflatable curtain is inflated by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the inflatable curtain directly, via a fabric diffuser, or via a metal, plastic, or fabric fill tube.
A side air bag may be desirable in a vehicle where roof rail space is insufficient to support an inflatable curtain. One particular type of side air bag is a door mounted side air bag. The door mounted side air bag is inflatable in response to the occurrence of an event for which inflation of the air bag is desired, such as a side impact to the vehicle, a vehicle rollover, or both. The door mounted side air bag is inflatable between the door and a vehicle occupant positioned in an adjacent vehicle seat. Such door mounted side air bags are inflatable from a stowed position in the vehicle door to a position extending inboard and upward from the vehicle door. In the inflated and deployed condition, the door mounted side airbag may partially, substantially, or completely cover a side window opening.